1. Comparative-Historical Method

Germanic Vowel Shift

o

• IE ˃ PG a

a

o̅

• IE ˃ PG o̅

a̅

Lat noctem Rus ночь˃ Gt nahts

Lat octo > Gt ahtau

Rus Яблоко > Germ Apfel

Lat frāter > Gt brōƀar

OE brōƀor

Lat flōs > OE blōma

Lat māter > OE mōdor

• Thus, there was neither a short o nor a long ā in Germanic languages.

Germanic Fracture

• Fracture concerns two pairs of vowels e/i and u/o.
• An IE e in the root syllable finds its counterpart in Germanic i, if it is followed by i, j or the cluster ‘nasal + consonant’. Otherwise the Germanic languages have e in the corresponding words.

PG i - in a narrow position (before i, j

or nasal + consonant)

IE i, e

PG e - in a wide position

Eg.

• Lat medius > OE middle
• Lat ventus > OE wind
• Lat edere > OE etan
• Lat ferre > OE beran

An IE u finds its counterpart in Germanic u, if it is followed by u or by the cluster ‘nasal + consonant’, otherwise the IE u finds its counterpart in PG o.

• An IE u finds its counterpart in Germanic u, if it is followed by u or by the cluster ‘nasal + consonant’, otherwise the IE u finds its counterpart in PG o.

PG u in a narrow position (before u

or ‘nasal+consonant’)

• IE o, u

PG o in a wide position

Eg.

• Lat sunus > OE sunu
• Lat ingum > OE ȝeoc
• Celt hurnan > OE horn

IE & Germanic Ablaut

• In all IE languages (as well as in all families of West Nostratic branch) there is a special kind of vowel alternation, usually called gradation, or ablaut.

Eg. Russ: везу/ воз; гремит/ гром.

• It is believed that the 3 variants of a root distinguished by gradation, are due to conditions of stress.
• IE Qualitative ablaut: e – o – Ø

(full stress brings about o, weakened stress e, and unstressed position Ø)

Class	Infinitive	Past Sg	Past Pl	Participle II
I	i:	ai	i	i
II	iu	au	u	u
III	i	a	u	u
IV	i	a	ē	u
V	i	a	ē	i

These are 5 classes of strong verbs in Gothic

Qualitative Ablaut:

• Qualitative Ablaut:

- e - a (due to Germanic fracture and

the vowel shift o>a)

- i - a

Gt genum – gam; itan - at

• Quantitative Ablaut:

e

Ø bindan - bndans

i

a - Ø can - cnawan

a - ā (ō) faran - fōr